MAC Notebook: Rockets flying high at 5-0

Right now, everything involving the Mid-American Conference starts with Toledo. Ranked No. 24 in the country, the first time since 2012, the Rockets remained unbeaten with a solid 38-7 win over Kent State. And the Rockets received some more good news, when running back Kareem Hunt returned from a three-game absence because of a hamstring injury.

Hunt rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns and Terry Swanson added 161 yards and a touchdown to lead Toledo (5-0, 2-0). The Rockets’ defense didn’t allow a touchdown, with Kent State’s only touchdown coming off a bad snap that was recovered in the end zone.

Toledo’s offense racked up 518 yards of total offense and a season-high 38 points against a Kent State defense that entered the game as the best in the conference.

“They are really good and really physical,” Kent State coach Paul Haynes said of Toledo. “There is a reason why they are ranked the No. 24 team in the country. On the flip side, we are not there yet.”

Toledo is off to its best start since an 8-0 opening for the 1997 team, and surely will improve to 6-0 with a home game against struggling Eastern Michigan on Saturday.

Western Michigan took a major step toward fulfilling the preseason — and season — attention given for its program by the media. The Broncos, thanks to coach P.J. Fleck have become the darlings of the conference and national media. The Broncos, though, struggled in their first four games, but knocked off Central Michigan 41-39 on Saturday. The Chippewas scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, but didn’t not get a chance to take the lead as WMU ran out the clock with an 8:24 drive.

The Broncos (2-3, 1-0) join Toledo as the only undefeated teams left in league play in the MAC West Division. Daniel Braverman caught six passes for 137 yards and three touchdowns.

“That Braverman is pretty good,” Fleck said. “He’s a pretty good player. Statement of the century.”

Ohio is quietly winning games and set to challenge Bowling Green for the conference East Division title. The Bobcats improved to 5-1 and 2-0 with a 34-3 triumph over Miami. The Bobcats intercepted four passes and Derrius Vick passed for 243 yards and a touchdown.

Bowling Green, meanwhile, set a new school record with 725 yards of total offense in a 62-28 win over UMass. Quarterback Matt Johnson passed for 450 yards and five touchdowns and the Falcons compiled 519 yards passing in the win.

“We’re off and running, and you’ve got to run us down,” BGSU coach Dino Babers said. “We’re good running out in front, and we’re able to run off clock late so teams can’t catch us.”

Northern Illinois avoided a rare four-game losing streak with an impressive home win over Ball State. Quarterback Drew Hare set a new school record by completing 90.6 percent of his pass, completing 29 of 32 passes for 363 yards and two touchdowns.

AKRON (3-3, 1-1)

Game: Akron 47, Eastern Michigan 21: Conor Hundley rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns and Akron’s offense racked up 500 yards of total offense to knock off Eastern Michigan.

Akron finished with 222 yards on the ground and 278 passing, but gave up 252 yards passing and 161 yards rushing.

Takeaway: The Zips’ defense has been playing well all season, but had trouble stopping and EMU offense that is not known for offense. The defense had some leaks, but the offense had one of their best games in some time, led by a solid rushing game.

Next: at Bowling Green, Oct. 17.

BALL STATE (2-4, 1-2)
Game: Northern Illinois 59, Ball State 41: Northern Illinois scored 28 points in the second quarter and added a 21-point fourth quarter to end a three-game losing streak. The Cardinals led 3-0 after the first quarter but the Huskies stormed back. Ball State quarterback Riley Neal passed for 393 yards and four touchdowns, with Jordan Williams catching nine passes for 108 yards.
Takeaway: The Cardinals played solid on offense, a good sign for a team struggling to score points, but their defense came unglued in the second quarter. The Huskies rushed for 273 yards. Ball State quarterback Riley Neal, who completed 31 of his 53 passes, was an encouraging sign for the second half of the season.
Next: vs. Georgia State, Oct. 17.

BOWLING GREEN (4-2, 2-0)

Game: Bowling Green 62, UMass 38: Shootouts are becoming the norm for Bowling Green this season. The Falcons set a school record for total offense with 725 yards and scored 60 points for the first time in 10 years.

Quarterback Matt Johnson completed 33 of his 39 passes for 450 yards and five touchdowns, as the Falcons passed for 519 yards. Roger Lewis hauled in eight passes for 142 yards and a touchdown.

Takeaway: The Falcons bounced back in a strong way after a sluggish conference opener last week. The offense is riding high again following a strong performance, but the defense needs shored up after allowing 38 points. Bowling Green quarterback Matt Johnson deserves more national attention after another stellar performance.

Next: vs. Bowling Green, Oct. 17.

BUFFALO (2-3, 0-1)

BYE WEEK

Next: at Central Michigan, Oct. 17.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN (2-4, 1-1)

Game: Western Michigan 41, Central Michigan 39: Central Michigan scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, but Western Michigan held on to defeat its local rivals. CMU quarterback Cooper Rush had a stellar game with 321 yards passing and four touchdowns, with Ben McCord catching two touchdown passes.

“They’ve got a good football team, they’re well-coached, they played hard, played a good game,” CMU coach John Bonamego said of Western Michigan.

Takeaway: A week after defeating Northern Illinois, the Chippewas struggled keeping that momentum going with tough loss on the road. In defense of the Chippewas, the Broncos had an extra week of preparation due to a bye week, while the Chippewas have endured a tough first six games to start the season.

Next: vs. Buffalo, Oct. 17.

EASTERN MICHIGAN (1-5, 0-2)

Game: Akron 47, Eastern Michigan 21: Akron finished with 500 yards of total offense and set the tone with a 26-point second quarter to defeat Eastern Michigan.

The Eagles were led by quarterback Brogan Roback’s 204 yards passing and three touchdowns, while Eddie Daugherty caught seven passes for 107 yards and a touchdown.

Takeaway: Akron certainly isn’t LSU, but played like LSU against Eastern Michigan. The fact that Akron scored 47 points and 500 yards of total offense is discouraging for the Eagles, especially after last week’s loss at LSU. The good news is that Brogan Roback is playing well, and there’s no shortage of playmakers on offense for Eastern Michigan.

Next: at Toledo, Oct. 17.

KENT STATE (2-4, 1-1)

Game: No. 24 Toledo 38, Kent State 7: Toledo limited Kent State to 257 yards of total offense and running back Terry Swanson rushed for 161 yards to spark the Rockets.

Kent State’s lone points came in the first quarter when Ryan Seibert recovered a fumble for a 7-0 lead. Raekwon James caught four passes for 66 yards to lead the Golden Flashes.

Takeaway: An ugly victory, but a victory is a victory, especially for a KSU program hungry for any win. The Golden Flashes led by 20 minutes with less than six minutes left in the game, but held on for the win.

Next: at UMass, Oct. 17.

MIAMI (1-5, 0-2)

Game: Ohio 34, Miami 3. Ohio quarterback Derrius Vick passed for 243 yards and a touchdown and Ohio’s defense limited Miami to 87 yards rushing to remain undefeated in conference play.

Miami quarterback Billy Bahl, a true freshman, threw for 150 yards on 8-for-23 passing, but was intercepted four times.

Takeaway: The future is now, but the present looked ugly. True freshman quarterback Billy Bahl had a rough effort, throwing four interceptions, but he did manage to pass for 150 yards.

Next: vs. Northern Illinois, Oct. 17.

NORTHERN ILLINOIS (3-3, 1-1)

Game: Northern Illinois 59, Ball State 41: Northern Illinois quarterback Drew Hare passed for 363 yards and two touchdowns and the Huskies’ offense tallied 636 yards of total offense to end a three-game losing streak.

Hare was nearly perfect in the game, completing 29 of his 32 passes for a 90.6 completion rate to set a new school record. Joel Bouagnon rushed for 149 yards and two touchdowns.

“Obviously, I’m very pleased with the offense today,” NIU coach Rod Carey said. “Defensively, I’m not really happy but they got some timely stops.”

Takeaway: Some good news, bad news. The Huskies’ offense had struggled in their three-game skid, but came alive, but the defense played poor. The defense held Ohio State and Boston College in check, but allowed 41 points and 503 yards of total offense against Ball State. This is certainly confusing times for NIU fans and coaches. Remember Ohio State’s offense generated just one touchdown against Northern Illinois.

Next: at Miami, Oct. 17.

OHIO (5-1, 2-0)

Game: Ohio 34, Miami 3: Ohio finished with 428 yards of total offense and quarterback Derrius Vick passed for 243 yards and a touchdown to lead Ohio to its fifth win of the season.

“Obviously, it feels good because wins are not easy to come by and they all feel good,” Ohio coach Frank Solich said.

Takeaway: Ohio’s defense make life hard on Miami freshman quarterback Billy Bahl, picking off four passes and not allowing a touchdown. Ohio is primed to compete for the MAC East Division title, with their offense and defense playing well through six games.

Next: vs. Western Michigan, Oct. 17.

TOLEDO (5-0, 2-0)

Game: No. 24 Toledo 38, Kent State 7: Toledo sophomore running back Terry Swanson ran for 161 yards and Kareem Hunt added two touchdowns to keep the Rockets undefeated.

The return of Hunt was good news for the offense, as he rushed for 85 yards on 16 carries. Quarterback Phillip Ely passed for 205 yards and two touchdowns and Cody Thompson had four catches for 65 yards and a touchdown.

“It was a big difference because that’s a big guy right there,” Swanson said of Hunt’s return from an injury. “Teams get tired of tackling him, so it makes it easier for us too.”

Takeaway: The Rockets have to be encouraged by the return of Kareem Hunt from his injury. He gives the offense another explosive weapon. The Rockets should move up a few spots in the Top 25, and remain as the only undefeated team in the conference. The defense stepped up to the challenge by holding Ken State’s offense scoreless, as the Golden Flashes’ lone touchdown came on a fumble recovery off a bad snap.

Next: vs. Eastern Michigan, Oct. 17.

UMASS (1-4, 0-1)

Game: Bowling Green 62, UMass 38. The Minutemen defense allowed 725 yards of total offense and Bowling Green quarterback Matt Johnson passed for 450 yards and five touchdowns.

Takeaway: Blake Frohnapfel was one of the few bright spots for UMass. He passed for 409 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. Tajae Sharpe caught 13 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown.

Next: vs. Kent State, Oct. 17.

WESTERN MICHIGAN (2-3, 1-0)

Game: Western Michigan 41, Central Michigan 39: Western Michigan quarterback Zach Terrell threw for 262 yards and four touchdowns and Daniel Braverman had six catches for 137 yards and three touchdowns to defeat the Chippewas.

Central Michigan scored 20 points in the fourth quarter, but Western Michigan ran out the final eight-plus minutes of the clock with a 15-play, 66-yard drive.

Takeaway: An impressive must-win for Western Michigan. Coming off a bye week and playing at home, the Broncos couldn’t afford a loss. They remained, along with Toledo, as the only undefeated teams in conference play in the West Division. The offense looked sharp and came up big with a late drive to keep the ball out of CMU quarterback Cooper Rush’s arms.

Next: at Ohio, Oct. 17.

NOTES, QUOTES

–Toledo, ranked No. 24th entering the Kent State game, received some good news with the return of running back Kareem Hunt. Sidelined by a hamstring injury for the last few weeks, Hunt rushed for 85 yards and two touchdowns.

–Toledo sophomore running back Terry Swanson had his first start of the season against Kent State, rushing for a season-high 161 yards, including scoring on a 23-yard touchdown run.

–Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush nearly led his team to a big win at Western Michigan. In the two-point loss, Rush passed for 321 yards and four touchdowns, hitting Mark Chapman for a 53-yard pass.

–Northern Illinois junior quarterback Drew Hare threw for more yards against Ball State than in his three previous games. Hare passed for 363 yards and two touchdowns, but his completion rate was an outstanding 90.2 percent to set a new school record. Hare completed 29 of his 32 passes, breaking the old mark set by Chandler Harnish of 81.8 percent.

–Northern Illinois cornerback Shawn Lurry intercepted a pass in the second quarter to notch his nation-leading sixth interception of the season. He has at least one interception in each of the Huskies’ last four games. He now has 162 interception return yards on the season.

–Bowling Green’s offense exploded for a school-record 725 yards in a win over UMass. The Falcons scored 60 points for the first time in 10 years, with quarterback Matt Johnson completing 33-of-39 passes for 450 yards and five touchdowns. Receiver Roger Lewis led the way with eight catches for 150 yards and a touchdown. Five different Falcons caught a touchdown pass, all from Johnson.

–Western Michigan wide receiver Daniel Braverman set a career-high with three touchdown catches against Central Michigan. He had six receptions for 137 yards for his fifth straight 100-yard game this season.

–Western Michigan’s Asantay Brown became the first Bronco to finish with an interception, his first of the season, a forced fumble and fumble recovery in the same game. He added 13 tackles, a career-high.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “The word of the day was believe. Everything they heard from their spiritual fire or whatever it was had to do with belief. You want to talk about those headsets on that last play, it was a run. It got checked to a pas in three seconds and we ran it; Best player to best player. We weren’t going to stop them on defense.” — Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck on his decision to go for it on fourth down to seal a 41-39 win over Central Michigan.

STRATEGY AND PERSONNEL

FIVE BIGGEST TAKEAWAYS FROM WEEK 6 IN THE MAC

1. Toledo earned its first Top 25 ranking since 2012, coming in at No. 24. The Rockets responded with a solid home win over Kent State, with their defense having one of its best games of the season. The Rockets, on paper, should roll over their next two opponents — Eastern Michigan and UMass — before closing the regular season against Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Bowling Green and Western Michigan.

2. Bowling Green’s offense is one of the best in the country, and Matt Johnson is an elite quarterback in the quarterback. The Falcons registered 725 yards of total offense and scored 62 points against UMass. Yes, UMass is not a team known for stopping teams, but Johnson threw five touchdown passes for 450 yards. Impressive performance for an impressive offense.

3. Western Michigan defeated Central Michigan 41-39. Coming off a bye week, the Broncos entered a must-win situation against their local rivals, especially with the game at Western Michigan. The Broncos allowed 20 fourth-quarter points, but ran out the clock with a 15-play time that lasted 8:24. Western Michigan and Toledo both are undefeated in conference play.

4. Northern Illinois ended its three-game losing streak. Quarterback Drew Hare set a school record with a 90.6 completion rate, throwing for more yards against Ball State than during NIU’s three-game losing skid. The defense, though, had a troubling effort after solid games at Ohio State and Boston College.

5. Ohio is off to its best start in several years, improving to 5-1 and 2-0 in the MAC East Division. The Bobcats are a late defensive stop at Minnesota away from being undefeated at 6-0 on the season. Ohio’s offense and defense both are playing well this season, though nothing fancy. Just simple hard-nosed football has been the hallmark of Ohio’s season thus far, with quarterback Derrius Vick’s leadership and steady play leading the offense.